Are the Oilers a Playoff Team?

The Edmonton Oilers? A playoff team? Some might find it hard to believe. They've already five consecutive wins at home and have been doing pretty well without Connor McDavid, their bright, young star. They may not be reliving the Stanley Cup days of the 1980s, but the drumbeats of the playoffs seem to be coming closer and closer.

They've missed the playoffs for nine consecutive years and I would like to see them get back into the playoffs. During their current winning streak, they've won games against the Dallas Stars and the New York Rangers.

Even though they have played well at home, they still have some work to do on the road. No doubt, however, that they have been the NHL's most improved team over the past three weeks. So why are the Oilers turning the corner?

Well, for starters, there's Leon Draitsaitl from the AHL. He has nine goals and 26 points in 20 games. He is already looking like one of the top performers in this game. He also had four assists in that win over the Rangers. Another big reason is their offense. You might have thought the offense would sputter without Connor McDavid being there, but think again. The high draft picks the Oilers have picked in recent years is starting to pay big time. Taylor Hall is having a great season, with 14 goals and 34 points in 30 games, as well as talented seasons by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jordan Eberle, and Teddy Purcell.

Todd McLellan, I believe, should get a lot of credit for what he has been doing in Edmonton. The expectations was that the former Sharks coach would clean up the team's efficiency and it really is starting to show up. The defensive game will still be something to be taken care of, but I think McLellan is really changing the attitude that this team brings in, day in and day out.

The Oilers look like a team on the rise. They are optimistic about making the playoffs, and I'm happy that they're finally becoming relevant in the league again. Let's be honest, the NHL isn't really doing any justice when their top teams aren't doing well. Although the league was great with having the Chicago Blackhawks and the New York Rangers doing well, they would've been even better if the Oilers were in there. And now they look like they're ready to get in. We're still in December, no doubt about that, but right now, they look like a dangerous team that everyone needs to watch out for.

Penguins Fire A Coach

Looks like the Penguins are heading a new direction when it comes to coaching. This Saturday, they fired coach Mike Johnston. Johnston had been under fire from Penguins fans that he was being too conservative when it came to his players and their play on-the-ice. Others can speculate that he may have been two democratic when it comes to management of his players. Either way, he's gone and the coach for their AHL affiliate Mike Sullivan will take over for those duties. General manager Jim Rutherford hopes that Sullivan will make the players more accountable for their actions. Rutherford also called him an unknown to the Penguins players and he believes that will allow him to be listened to and that the players will play harder and take responsibility for their actions when it comes to the ice.

Sullivan, who was a former head coach with Bruins, takes over a team that is 15-10-3 and is outside of the playoff picture right now. Apparently, that record is not deemed "acceptable" by the Penguins management or by the fans. The Penguins are hoping a little new blood will help the Penguins win the Stanley Cup again, and from their AHL affiliate. Last time they did it, it was with Dan Bylsma who led them to the Stanley Cup championship.

As far as I know when it comes to the Pittsburgh Penguins, they expect to be in the playoff hunt every year and are expected to compete for the title on almost a yearly basis. I don't know Mike Johnston that well or where he played before this, but if the Penguins are saying that he's not holding players accountable for what they did on the ice, then there's a change that needs to be done. The Penguins obviously had to do something, because their expectations are always high and they always expect to compete with the top dogs of the NHL. Right now, that's not looking like the case. I'm hoping this Mike Sullivan guy can change the culture that is the Penguins right now and get them back into the playoff mix. They're a good team but they need a strong coach that can help fill the mold and if Rutherford believes that Sullivan can do that, by all means, let him try.

The Penguins should be able to bounce back and get back into the playoff picture but it requires some strong willpower and accountability and that's two things the Penguins lack right now. So if Mike Sullivan knows what he's doing and he can get the players to listen to him, then I think he's walking into a great situation that allows him to have success. Good luck, Penguins.

The End of the Blue Jackets Season?

The Columbus Blue Jackets started off in an 0-8-0 hole to start the season. Now, thanks to a recent injury by one of their important players, the season now looks like a lost cause.

Their goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has a lower-body injury and is expected to miss three weeks, according to The Columbus Dispatch. The injury occurred during a game against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday.

Bobrovsky had been significantly improving this season, posting a 2.52 GAA and a .916 save percentage. His numbers may not be great but they are better than what he had been doing before that.

Losing Bobrovsky, I believe, sinks the ship for the Blue Jackets even further. They're already tied with Carolina for the basement of the Metropolitan Division and now it looks like they might not be able to crawl their way back into this. They've already replaced their coach and now they are replacing their goaltender with their backup. Not exactly the type of news they wanted to hear.

The Blue Jackets really have nowhere to go and it looks like their ship will sink this season. I really thought this team had a chance to make it back into the playoffs, but thanks to this bad start and now the loss of their goaltender, it's hard for me to see them getting there this season.

Pascal Dupuis's NHL Career is Over

As a NHL player, it's always sad and upsetting when you have to retire because of a medical condition. Well, unfortunately, an NHL player is being forced out of the NHL because of that.

The Pittsburgh Penguins winger Pascal Dupuis has been forced into retirement because of a blood clot condition that has hampered his ability to produce for the past two seasons. Dupuis is always a popular player in the dressing room and has skated on the line with Sidney Crosby. He's also been a big factor when it comes to the playoffs.

Penguins manager Jim Rutherford said of Dupuis, "I've never seen a man more determined to play and more determined to help his team. Unfortunately, we've reached the point where it's not in the best interest of his health to allow him to do that anymore."

I feel very bad for Dupuis. Health is always something you have to put forward and not enough players in sports understand that. We've seen guys in the NFL play through injuries because they're in the Super Bowl. Some Seahawks players have done that and have been forced to go straight to surgery because of that "Iron Man" factor. But I'm glad to see Dupuis is leaving before it's too late. A blood clot is not something to mess around with, especially if it's hampering your ability. We've seen what happened a couple of seasons ago with Rich Peverley when he fainted on the bench and then we found out he had a medical condition and was forced to retire because of it.

As a person, you should always put your health above any else. You should be able to go out and live a happy life free of conditions and problems. And I'm glad to see that Dupuis is doing just that. I understand this retirement and I do hope he gets well and is able to be with his family and to enjoy the rest of his life going forward. Although it may not be with hockey, we hope he is able to find something he can do free of medical worries and to be happy and living a long life. Good luck, Pascal Dupuis!

Talking About the Kings

Remember when the Los Angeles Kings lost their first three games of the season? Well, put those to rest. The Kings are 18-5-1 since then and look like they are ready to take the Stanley Cup crown.

Now obviously, it's still a little early to declare them the champs and we still have the playoffs to go through. But in my mind, they are like the Seahawks (my NFL team). They can do damage in the playoffs and they look ready to do that, but there are still months ahead for that.

There are several reasons why the LA Kings should be hard to beat.

1. Their history. The Kings are not the new kids on the street, but they have won a Stanley Cup 18 months ago, and two of them in the past 42 months. The core group has been responsible for most of those Stanley Cup wins, so look for them to do it again once they get there.

2. The puck control. For those of you who are analytical, the Corsi rating for the Kings is 57.6%. That's the best so far. If you don't know what Corsi is, it is the statistical measure of puck possession. That's pretty good for a very dominant team in the league.

3. Doughty is Norris Trophy candidate. Drew Doughty might just be a lock for the Norris Trophy when the awards come. So far, he's averaging 27:42 minutes a game and his Corsi rating is 59.75%. He's a difference-maker in the league, puck heads. Take notice!

4. Hot defense. The Kings are currently second in the league with a 2.07 goals-against-average per game. And Jonathan Quick in goal has also been responsible for that GAA. It's already tough to score against this team.

5. The Right time. Right now, the Kings look as good as anybody and they have the necessary players to win in the NHL again. There's your veterans, such as Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, and Jake Muzzin, and then there's your coach in Darryl Sutter who's been helping to build this team to look like a contender.

If you figure all of these reasons into the Kings' season so far, they look like a dominant threat to win the Stanley Cup. They could be the San Francisco Giants of the NHL. But, like they said, it's still too early. The season started two months ago, and it could easily slip away from them come February or March. But right now, right now, we got a team looking like they can go all the way.